Human rights violation by security forces have touched new limits and in spite of great hue and cry against it the situation is only worsening. The classic case being army rewarding the officer who was widely condemned for turning a law abiding citizen as human shield to save itself from people pelting stones at it.
What is being seen at present is just the outrage that the people of this vale have been inflicted with. There is hardly anyone who hasnt been the sufferer, for this place is witness to long spates of violence and killings. Horrific tales of brutality with emotional scenes of bidding adieu to the loved ones have done irreparable damages to psyche of the people of the valley.
The summer of 2016 is a stark reminder of the massive uprising that even puzzled the security forces about how to re-establish peace and bring the valley out from the dreadful scenes of violence. Winter came as a breather for the state and the protests gradually wore off bringing a sigh of relief to the authorities which were still perplexed. While the memories of the previous years turmoil were still afresh, the killings on the day of election in Srinagar stoke fresh fires. If this was not enough, the unjustified use of might by security forces on the students, in Pulwama, in which many of them got grievously injured while some were arrested, furthermore gave room for a new season of turmoil in Kashmir.
This time the students had taken the security forces head on and were vociferous in their resentment against the law and order enforcing agencies. Like that of other cases, this too was highly intimidating and strongly condemned. The consequence was widespread protests by students and closing down of schools for precautionary measure. How can a nation progress when its education imparting institutions are being under unnecessary vigil and the students are frisked? It is such an unfortunate scenario.
It wont be an exaggeration to state that the people of the valley are left at the mercy of the God for there is nothing which can alleviate their pain and sufferings keeping in view what they are promised of and later what they have to settle with. Successive governments have failed to reinstate the lost trust among the people which is the only reason that the people have become indifferent in their approach towards the different parties contesting elections.
It wont be an exaggeration to state that the people of the valley are left at the mercy of the God for there is nothing which can alleviate their pain and sufferings keeping in view what they are promised of and later what they have to settle with. Successive governments have failed to reinstate the lost trust among the people which is the only reason that the people have become indifferent in their approach towards the different parties contesting elections.
Their abhorrence against the authorities at the helm of affairs has never been so deep as is on display today. Timely and prompt action in redressing the grievances of the people would have inculcated confidence among the people but for want of that, several decades have passed and that too to no avail. If the present trend continues Kashmir will be more militarised and security related expenditure will skyrocket. This will hurt not Kashmir alone but rest of India as well where half of the population still live well below poverty line.
Union Home ministry in its annual report revealed that during the financial year 2016-2017 (till February 2017), Rs 988.55 crore have been reimbursed to J&K government under Security Related Expenditure (Police), which is the highest ever. In fact, last years expenditure nearly equals the total spending of 1082.37 crore from 1989 till 2016.
Time has come when the government needs to decide that whether it wants to facilitate the development of the valley by engaging in fruitful discussions with all stake-holders by devising a suitable policy for the common good of all, or, continue to pump in public money in futile security measures which have only brought destruction and despondency.
Time has come when the government needs to decide that whether it wants to facilitate the development of the valley by engaging in fruitful discussions with all stake-holders by devising a suitable policy for the common good of all, or, continue to pump in public money in futile security measures which have only brought destruction and despondency.
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